Eve's eyes trembled slightly.
The person who should have heard these words was not het, but Lily.
Eve's lips were only moist.
If it were Lily… what kind of answer would she have given?
Did she say she understood and take the heart?
However, if that happens, the person receiving the heart will be her, not Lily.
Eve bit her lip. She couldn't say she understood, nor could she say no.
However, the moment she felt his heart pounding, an irresistible greed arose within me.
If I had this heart, I could have saved Noelier.
She let out a trembling breath. Clenching her fist, she chose her words carefully.
It was then.
Paaaat!
Something spread out from her palm. A blue light, but slightly more transparent than that.
'No way...'
Blank magic?
Eve stared blankly at her magic that had suddenly manifested.
Then suddenly a thought occurred to her.
Could the reason she can hug Noelier without feeling anything be because of the Blank Slate magic?
So perhaps that is why she can stay safe without any distortion of memory.
Eve's eyes wavered briefly.
Eve caught her breath and pressed her hand firmly against his chest.
Hoping that the amplification Grandmother gave and her own blank slate would mix.
So, hoping that her words would not cause any distortion in his memory.
She said in a trembling voice.
"Your heart... must be given to someone you love. To a partner, for instance."
She held her breath once.
This wasn't something Lily should have said.
However, the ground beneath her feet did not collapse.
It meant that her blank slate would work.
Eve caught her breath again and continued speaking.
"The me now cannot be your partner."
"Why? Is it because of that wolf?"
He asked in a slightly angry voice.
"I know. I heard that wolves obey only one mate for their entire lives."
It was a strong tone, but at the end of the voice, the desperation that could not be hidden was revealed.
"I can do that too. I will protect you for a long time."
His cloudy eyes looked incredibly clear.
"I could give you everything that exists in this world. So choose me."
"...That's not why."
Eve felt frustrated that she could not speak about her situation, yet at the same time, she felt joy.
Even though he knows her as Lily, she's the one he feels love for.
So she resented herself for feeling relieved.
"...As you said, we wolves love only one mate for our entire lives. Even after becoming human, that one thing hasn't changed."
That's why I came to find you.
Eve kept the words she wanted to say under her tongue.
"So you wolves have been living like that?"
The dragon asked as if he couldn't understand.
If the wolf really loved only one mate, he wouldn't have sent her here.
Then Eve forced a smile and said.
"Yeah. We wolves only look at our mates until the end of our lives."
Looking only at one's partner.
The dragon could not understand those words immediately.
It was because he had not yet properly understood the emotion of love.
But he soon realized.
Looking only at one's partner.
It was submission.
The wolf did not submit to her.
That is why he was able to send her here.
It meant that they were not yet the perfect companion.
Then, if I were to submit to her... could I become her mate? It was something that would have shocked the other dragons to hear. Submission to a mere wolf?
However, if she stays by my side.
If you call me in a sweet voice and cherish me.
He could do more than obey.
"I can do it too."
He said in a firm voice.
"I can do more than you think."
Desperation was evident in the voice of the answerer.
"..."
Eve bit her lip and reached out her other hand toward the dragon.
"...Take me as your companion."
The dragon rubbed its cheek against her palm with a pained expression.
“Choose me.”
It felt like it was telling her not to go, and to stay by its side like this and cherish her for a long time.
"...Later."
She said with a smile.
"When we meet again later, then. I will make you my partner then."
Eve spoke, holding back the tears welling up inside her.
"So you absolutely must not give it to anyone else. Got it?"
She smiled faintly.
The dragon clenched its fist.
There was no need for such a promise.
All he had to do was reach out. He could have her by holding her in his arms and handing over his heart.
But...
"..."
He couldn't do it.
To become her companion, he had to wait obediently, doing as she instructed. Until he met her again.
The dragon suppressed its surging possessiveness. As its emotions fluctuated, heat surged.
"...When are you coming back?"
He closed his eyes and suppressed his desire.
"I'll be back soon. I'll just find the herbs to cure your eyes and be back right away."
"I can't wait long. As you can see, I have a terrible temper."
"I like kind people."
At those words, the dragon opened his eyes wide. Through his blurry vision, he could see her blue eyes.
"If I become a good person, will you take me as your partner?"
"...At this rate, I'll even end up using honorifics."
Eve chuckled playfully.
"If you want, I will."
"..."
"I'll do anything to be your partner."
Eve smiled sadly.
You really appeared before my eyes as the partner I wanted.
'Of course, you probably won't remember saying this either because of the blank slate.'
Recalling Noelier's beautiful smile, Eve pulled away from his side.
It was truly time to go.
If Lily had been here, she would surely have said.
"Let me go."
"..."
"That is what I want to tell you."
The blue magic emanating from her hand had already vanished.
However, Eve did not notice it until the very end.
***
The dragon had no choice but to nod. Because she had said she would return.
As one who desired obedience, he had no choice but to wait for her.
"Wait."
The dragon called out to Eve, who was about to set out on the road.
“Take this.”
A small flame rose from his hand. It was his phoenix, Lou.
Eve, who was about to acknowledge him, hurriedly closed her mouth.
The phoenix tilted its head and landed on her palm.
Then, the bird that had been pecking at the palm noticed something and fluttered its wings.
It was because the coldness flowing from the ice apple he had eaten could be felt in her hands as well.
Sigh!
The bird chirped continuously as if excited. It looked as if it had met a long-lost friend.
Eve, who had no way of knowing the meaning of that action, looked at the dragon again.
"I'll help you go north. Take that."
Since the Phoenix can lift things heavier than a human, it would be able to travel to the North with ease.
"Thank you."
Eve briefly offered a word of thanks and looked at the bird in her palm again.
“Please take care of me.”
The bird hopped happily on her palm.
It was when Eve was about to leave the ruined castle with the bird.
"For a moment."
The dragon called out to her once again. Eve turned around.
“What is your name?”
"..."
"I still don't even know the name."
He said with a self-deprecating laugh.
"Tell me your name. So I can find you again."
Eve swallowed her breath. After catching her breath, as if hesitating, she finally parted her lips after a long while.
It was a relief that he couldn't see properly.
"...Lily."
"..."
“My name is Lily.”
Otherwise, he would have found out that she was crying.
“Yes, Lily.”
The dragon nodded.
“My companion.”
Eve swallowed the rising tears and reached out her hand toward Lou.
With the flapping of its wings, Lou's body grew larger.
Lou wrapped Eve in his enlarged wings. At the same time, her figure vanished.
The dragon, who had been staring for a long time even after the figure vanished, bowed its head.
Something entered his blurry vision.
Something black and round.
It was a restraint device intended for his neck.
He looked down at the tracks of the persistent wolves and picked up the restraints.
Traces left behind by wolves.
If the person who brought this had been Lily, he would have put it around his neck without resistance.
"..."
The dragon, gazing intently at the restraint in its hand, waved its hand.
Whoosh. With a faint noise, red smoke settled over the restraints.
It was ancient magic that no one had ever used.
"...Lily "
With his muttering, red smoke was sucked into the restraints.
If the moment came when he would wear this again, it would be the moment he would completely submit to Lily.
'Something only Lily can solve.'
The dragon, having finished recognizing, looked up at the sky.
I missed the faint scent of winter.
He slowly closed his eyes. He already missed her.
***
It felt like the world was shaking every time the phoenix flapped its wings.
Eve held the bird tightly so it wouldn't fall.
At this speed, they would arrive in the north before long.
'I have to go meet Lily.'
After meeting Lily, and then... what should she do?
She has already met Noelier from a past life instead of Lily.
And he even promised to give his heart to 'Lily'.
'But if that happens, what about the real Lily, and Mom's past life?'
The dragon's heart meant eternal life.
Only when Lily takes the heart of the first leader can her soul, connected to him, be born.
'I have to find a way. Somehow, somehow... what I messed up...'
It was then.
Kiiiek! With a loud howl, her body shook violently.
"What's wrong, Lou?"
Eve hurriedly caught the bird. Flustered, she did not realize that she had called its name.
Therefore, she didn't even notice the fact that the space wasn't distorted.
"Roooo!"
Lou's body shook violently. It looked as if he were being attacked.
Who would dare attack a phoenix?
Eve poked her head out from behind the wings engulfed in fire.
"...!"
At the same time, darkness enveloped her.
"Kieeek!"
The sound of Lou struggling to catch Eve was heard.
Before she completely lost consciousness, she saw something glittering red through the darkness.
'...Noel?'
It was a color that resembled Noelier's eyes.
'Just like the pupil of an eye...'
However, the thought could not continue. Eve slowly closed her eyes.
***
Blink.
Eve opened her eyes.
Her whole body throbbed as if she had been beaten.
Eve sat up with a short groan.
The sky was pitch black as if it were night, and the floor where she was lying was damp as if water had been poured over it. The thick fog was thick enough to obscure the view.
'Where am I?'
She slowly rose to her feet. Looking around, she saw a pile of skeletons.
"...!"
Eve recoiled.
'Where is Lou? Where did Lou go? Where is this place?'
It was when she was floundering in confusion.
"We finally met."
Eve hurriedly turned around at the sudden sound of a voice.
Someone wrapped in a black cloth was looking down at her.
"Hi."
The voice of the woman greeting her was something she had heard somewhere before.
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